THE OOLOGIST 



147 



ing the singular beauty of the Osprey, 

 Vyherever it is, soaring aloft, covering 

 its eggs or young, or perched on the 

 top of some, lofty tree, it is still the 

 •Same handsome bird, and anyone who 

 has spent any time by the seashore or 

 on the banks of our large rivers, will 

 always remember with a mixed feeling 

 of admiration and pity, our most beau- 

 tiful of predaceous birds, the American 

 Osprey. 



Edward Fuller. 

 Norwich, Conn. 



Nesting of the Chestnut-backed Chickadee. 



The eggs of the Chestnut-backed 

 'Chickadee, like the Pine Siskin and 

 Wright's Flycatcher, (on which I have 

 previously written) are quite rare. 



This bird is not distributed over so 

 much territory as the other two species 

 therefore their eggs must be of moi'e 

 value to the collector, than either 

 Spinus pinus or Empidonax obscurus. 

 (Their value, however, is not given in 

 "'The Oologist Checking List" of 1890.) 

 On May 27, '89, I took a set of five eggs, 

 it being my first set of this chickadee. 

 It was situated in a snag, five feet up, 

 the excavation being one foot deep. I 

 ■also found a fresh set of seven eggs of 

 Parus 7'ufescens on May 3d, this season. 



This nest was in an alder stump three 

 feet from the ground, composed of 

 moss, hair, wool and a few feathers, 

 felted together. 



The eggs resemble those of the Com- 

 mon Chickadee or the Oregon Chicka- 

 ■dee in a general way, but average 

 larger in size and the markings are 

 larger also, with an inclination to form 

 a wreath near the larger end. 



There can be no mistake as to the 

 identity, for in the fh'st instance the 

 birds were observed carrying building 

 "material to the nest, and in the second, 

 the female was caught; then, too, the 

 ^Chestnut-backed and Oregon Chicka- 

 dee's notes (as well as their plumage) 

 •differ very much. I also observed an- 



other pair digging in a tall snag on 

 April 17, '91, but upon visiting it again 

 later on, found they had disappeared. 

 Clyde L. Keller, 

 Salem, Oregon. 



Owl's Tenacity of Life- 



I see in the January Oologist in an 

 article by Mr. Joel A. Harrington of 

 Butte, Mont., that he wonders much at 

 the great tenacity of life in a Great 

 Horned Owl. 



Now the solution is simply this: In 

 all birds there is a communication be- 

 tween the lungs and the large bones, 

 and the wing being broken when the 

 strap was placed around his neck the 

 bird obtained his supply of air through 

 his broken wing. 



How wise is Nature in her provisions 

 for her creatures! 



A. V. Thompson, 



Decorah, la. 



A Book of 500 Pages. 



On treatment and care of domestic 

 animals, Horses, Cattle, Sheep, Dogs, 

 Hogs and Poultry, sent free to all who 

 mention The Oologist. Address 

 Humphrey's Veterinary Specifics, 

 Cor. William and John Sts., N. Y. 



FOR SALE.— Silver Watch, Snare Drum, 

 Microscope. Magic Lantern with slides. Birds' 

 Eggs. Camera. 'etc. Write tor particulars. 

 Bargains.ARTHURH.SMITH.Sbortsville.N.Y. 



B!C E?IEtC*Y! I have a few hundred of the 

 t rlltol i most complete datas out left, 

 which I will sell at wholesale, locper 100 post- 

 paid. '-First come first served." DAVID A. 

 YOUNG, Washington Heights, 111. 



ROGRA.M OK THE 



CHAUTAUQUA ASSEMBLY 



SEASON OF 1891. 



1 have just issued a little 50-page Hand-Book 

 containing a detailed program of the Chautau- 

 qua Assembly, during July and August, and 

 much other matter of interest, relating to 

 Chautauqua. This little book is distributed 

 gratuitously from my Chautauqua stores and 

 should any of my patrons desire a copy or 

 more I will gladly mail them upon receipt of 

 stamps for mailing expenses. Single copies 2c, 

 additional copies lc each. 



Faithfully yours, 

 FRANK H. LATTIN, Albion, N. Y, 



